The system will enable the Board of Postgraduate Studies (BPS) maintain an accurate and easily retrievable record of the progress of each postgraduate student and keep track of the students’ contact with their supervisors through easily retrievable records of submitted progress reports. In addition, the Board will be able to track and accurately determine the expiry date of the registration period for each postgraduate student, accurately compute and determine the fees to be charged for extension of registration, track and flag in the system those who have graduated or exited from the University and provide management with reports to aid in continuous process improvement.

Presiding over the launch, Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Peter Mbithi noted that the system is one of the innovations the University committed itself to implement by June 30, 2015 in its Performance Contract for 2014/2015. In addition, it is in the Performance Contract of BPS and ICT Centre.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Production and Extension, Prof. Lucy Irungu said that the development of the system was advised by the growth in numbers of postgraduate students in the University to the current population of over 13,000 postgraduate students. Prof. Irungu noted that with the establishment of more universities in Kenya and with the government’s directive that in the five years times, all university lectures must have a PhD, the demand for postgraduate courses is set to rise.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic Affairs, Prof. Henry Mutoro, congratulated the teams involved in the development of the system and challenged them to employ it in their operations.

Director, BPS, Prof. Lydia Njenga noted that the system is one of the strategies the board has been working on in order to improve service delivery and the quality of teaching. She said that BPS and the ICT team are ready to sensitize supervisors to immediately start using the system.

The ICT team led by the Director, Mr. Ibrahim Otieno made a presentation on how the system works. Mr. Otieno said that through the system, students, supervisors and schools will be able to interact with BPS and with each other as all the processes have been automated and done online. In addition, communication through email and short messaging service will now be possible to ensure effective communication with the relevant parties.

Also present during the launch were members of the University Management Board and staff.